A question for those that flock their boxes

I heard somewhere that an alternative to the adhesive that normally comes with flocking can be used, I’m thinking paint? I just can’t remember, does anyone know of anything else that would hold the flocking to the wood besides using the adhesive that goes with flocking?

20 replies so far

Have you watched Steve Hay – master class woodworking, on You Tube? He just got done with a box series and in one of them he used flocking. I’m thinking he just put down a coat of varnish or whatever and poured the flocking stuff into it. As I recall it was on a hexagon box. You might want to check it out.

When I flock a box, the glue seems like oil-based paint to me. I just built a chest for my carving tools (pics, eventually). I used premium felt, but in retrospect, should have flocked it. The glue for flocking takes weeks to reduce in the smell department, that is why I didn’t use it for the chest. I used Titebond III to glue in the felt, which worked well. My issue is that the felt holds every bit of sawdust and carving chip, causing me to have to vacuum it up. Tedious.

I would think an oil based paint would work. Every time I’ve flocked a box, the adhesive seems thicker and stickier than paint but it could be just me. I would advise against using regular glue. The adhesive is colored so that the areas that the flocking doesn’t cover 100% won’t be noticed. No matter how thick you lay the flocking on, you will still notice the substrate its applied to unless it’s colored/painted first.

I have used both oil paint and acrylic paint, to apply flocking, and both work. The drying time with acrylic is short so oil paint is easier to use. With oil paint, the smell is the down side so I prefer using acrylic paint.

I have not used flocking in my boxes but I have always wondered how a person would touch-up or repair a flocked box after it has dried? Can glue or paint be re-applied over the flocking so it can be reflocked?

I have not used flocking in my boxes but I have always wondered how a person would touch-up or repair a flocked box after it has dried? Can glue or paint be re-applied over the flocking so it can be reflocked?

- Greg..the Cajun Wood Artist

My experiance in trying this has been bad. I had to strip the old out in order to re-flock it.

I use flocking that has a PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive) backing on it. Very easy to use and no smell. No drying time. When you glue on the last piece you are done.I have found this stuff at fabric shops.

Madts, sounds like what you are describing is sticky back felt? I’ve never heard of a flock that had self adhesion, it comes in micro fibers which have to be sprinkled or blown.

I have used what you describe before but the down side to it is that it only comes in 8” x 12” sheets in which my case might not always be large enough also the fabric stores don’t always carry an abundance of it and can be hard to find it in the color I need.

Personally, I only use flocking anymore for boxes that have cut-outs for items that will rest in the box…I don’t remember the term for that off the top of my head. Anyhoo, I have found that that lining my boxes with fabric to be much easier and allows for much more variety in what can be done.

Go to a fabric store and root through their remnant piles. You will usually find some really neat velvets or felts that will fit the bill and don’t cost an arm and a leg. You can find them in all sizes so there is no issue with being stuck to a certain dimension. Use poster board or a thicker illustration board ( you can find this at hobby lobby or Michaels pretty cheap) cut out individual sections for each face of the box. Cut your fabric 1/2-3/4 in larger than the liner panels you just made. Using spray adhesive, attach the fabric panels and fold over the excess behind (or cut it off just past the edge of the paper panel to reduce the thickness slightly). Spray the backs of your newly made fabric covered panels and press into place…VIOLA!

Another method that I use, especially with velvet, is to add a very thin (1/8-14in) layer of batting on the paper panels prior to covering them with fabric. It gives a very touchable look and serves very well in jewelry boxes. Not sure this is what you were looking for but with everyone posting about self adhesive felt panels, I figured you would be up for some alternate methods.

On a typical box with 90 degree corners I will use normal felt with cereal box cardboard backing and just lay it in the bottom but I also build boxes with rounded corners in the drawers and cavities, so normal felt won’t work thus I have to use flocking.

As for as the sticky back, I’ve only found it in 11” x 8” sheets precut, Mads do you have any links or data info?